Delosperma plant named &#39;Dodelsolpi&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Delosperma plant named ‘Dodelsolpi’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; typically used as a groundcover; moderately vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely basal branching habit; dense and bushy habit; early and freely flowering habit; large red purple-colored flowers with yellow and white-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Delosperma cooperi.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DODELSOLPI’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE APPLICANT

The Applicant asserts that no publications nor advertisements relatingto sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date. Disclosures include a reference to the claimedplant on the website of Dümmen Orange B.V.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofDelosperma plant, botanically known as Delosperma cooperi, commonlycalled Trailing Ice Plant and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Dodelsolpi’.

The new Delosperma plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new early-flowering Delosperma plants withnumerous attractive flowers.

The new Delosperma plant originated from a self-pollination in July,2016 of a proprietary selection of Delosperma cooperi identified as codenumber DL-0011, not patented. The new Delosperma plant was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated self-pollination in a controlled environment inRheinberg, Germany in May, 2019.

Asexual reproduction of the new Delosperma plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in Rheinberg, Germany, since June, 2019 has shown that theunique features of this new Delosperma plant are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Delosperma have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dodelsolpi’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Dodelsolpi’ as a new and distinct Delospermaplant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit;        typically used as a groundcover.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.    -   3. Freely basal branching habit; dense and bushy habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large red purple-colored flowers with yellow and        white-colored centers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Delosperma differ primarily from plants of the parentselection in flower color as plants of the new Delosperma have redpurple-colored flowers whereas plants of the parent selection havered-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Delosperma can be compared to plants of Delospermacooperi ‘Wheels of Wonder Orange’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Delosperma differ from plants of ‘Wheelsof Wonder Orange’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Delosperma are more upright than and not as        trailing as plants of ‘Wheels of Wonder Orange’.    -   2. Plants of the new Delosperma have smaller leaves than plants        of ‘Wheels of Wonder Orange’.    -   3. Plants of the new Delosperma have larger flowers than plants        of ‘Wheels of Wonder Orange’.    -   4. Plants of the new Delosperma have red purple-colored flowers        whereas plants of ‘Wheels of Wonder Orange’ have orange-colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Delosperma plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Delosperma plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) is a top perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dodelsolpi’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Dodelsolpi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in 22-cm containers during the springin a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Delosperma production. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. andlight levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched once three weeksafter planting and were three months old when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Delosperma cooperi ‘Dodelsolpi’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Delosperma            cooperi identified as code number DL-0011, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Delosperma            cooperi identified as code number DL-0011, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About one week at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white, close to            155D, in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on            substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial grown as a            container and landscape plant and typically used as a            groundcover; upright and outwardly spreading plant habit;            freely flowering habit with numerous flowers positioned            above the foliar plane; appropriate for 9 to 22-cm            containers; moderately vigorous growth habit and rapid            growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 52 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about three            primary lateral branches each with about six secondary            lateral branches developing per plant; pinching (removal of            the terminal apex) enhances lateral branch development.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 27 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3.1 cm.        -   Strength.—Relatively weak.        -   Texture and luster.—Moderately pubescent; semi-glossy.        -   Color, developing.—Close to 144D.        -   Color, developed.—Close to 199B; at the internodes, close to            61A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Decussate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 3 mm.        -   Shape.—Ligulate, triangular in cross-section.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire, not undulate.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately            pubescent; semi-glossy; succulent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:            Close to 146A; venation, close to 146A. Developing and fully            developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A; venation,            close to 146A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single rotate terminal            flowers; freely flowering habit with about 270 flowers            developing per plant during the flowering season; flowers            face upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—Faint, sweet and pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Delosperma begin            flowering about eight weeks after planting and flower from            June to September in the landscape in Germany.        -   Flower longevity.—Flower last about five to six days;            flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.6 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 1.6 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Ovate to oblong. Texture and luster: Moderately            pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: About 45 petals in about two whorls.            Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:            Oblanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire,            not undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: When opening, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 75B and proximally, close to 155C.            Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N74C; towards the            base, close to 1C, at the base, close to 155C; venation,            close to N74B; colors becoming closer to N80B and 1A with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N74C and            towards the base, close to 155C; venation, close to N74B;            colors becoming closer to N80B and 155C with development.        -   Petaloids.—Arrangement: About 39 petaloids in about two            whorls. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire, not            undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: When opening, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 155C. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 2A; venation, close to 2A; color becoming            closer to 6A with development.        -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five in a single whorl forming a            star-shaped calyx; about 7 mm in height and about 5 mm in            diameter. Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:            Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture            and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous;            semi-glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 146A. When opening and fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 146B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Relatively weak. Texture and luster: Moderately            pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 145B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About 61 per            flower. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close            to 155C. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape:            Ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to 13C. Amount of pollen:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 9A. Gynoecium: Pistil            number: About five. Pistil length: About 2 mm. Style length:            About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 22A. Stigma diameter:            About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Triangular, lobed. Stigma color:            Close to 22A. Ovary color: Close to 143D.        -   Fruits.—Quantity: About 140 fruits develop per plant.            Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm. Texture:            Moderately pubescent. Color: Close to 161A.        -   Seeds.—Quantity: About 230 seeds develop per fruit. Length:            About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture: Rough, knobby.            Color: Close to 166C.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Delosperma have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures from    about 5° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Delosperma    have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common    to Delosperma plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Delosperma plant named ‘Dodelsolpi’as illustrated and described.